Rock Key. The Rock Identification Key - by Don PeckRock Key Table of Contents What Are Rocks? Rocks are what the crust of the earth is made of. They are the mountains and the bottom of the ocean. They are everywhere on earth, but often buried under soil. Rocks are made of minerals, like quartz, calcite, feldspars, and micas. . [ Return to Rock Key Table of Contents ] What Minerals Form Rocks? Interactive Rock Cycle Animation. The Life Cycle of a Mineral Deposit—A Teacher’s Guide for Hands-On Mineral Education Activities. This teacher's guide defines what a mineral deposit is and how a mineral deposit is identified and measured, how the mineral resources are extracted, and how the mining site is reclaimed; how minerals and mineral resources are processed; and how we use mineral resources in our every day lives. Included are 10 activitybased learning exercises that educate students on basic geologic concepts; the processes of finding, identifying, and extracting the resources from a mineral deposit; and the uses of minerals.
The guide is intended for K through 12 Earth science teachers and students and is designed to meet the National Science Content Standards as defined by the National Research Council (1996). To assist in the understanding of some of the geology and mineral terms, see the Glossary (appendix 1) and Minerals and Their Uses (appendix 2). Rock and the Rock Cycle. Rock Cycle.